US switching to metric system?

[dcb]

Yes but there are FROGS and sometimes CLOUDS!

[FuzzyD]

Oh..... the metric / SAE debate *rolls eyes*

Here in canada we still use half metric and half SAE... road signs in metric but still use Pounds to measure most weights. Go Figure.

As for what parts of cars are in metric or SAE I would love to present you with a 1984 chevette diesel... Chevettes were actually a german design (opel kadett rev.C) and much of the car was metric, some of the parts unique to the US market were in SAE, and anything relating to the engine was Metric (but used different common sizes as to the german metric designed parts as it was ISUZU!!)

Driveshaft companion flange was held onto the torque shaft with a 24mm bolt, and the u-joint attached to it with 7/16" bolts! and the bearing on the shaft was also held to the body with 15mm bolts. Many bolts were 13mm OR .5" which was rather frustrating on many occasion.

Page one of the factory service manual has a warning telling you that multiple socket sets will be needed.

BTW... chevettes were designed in 1974 origonally, and not released into the US market untill 76 This kind of "what system do we build cars with?" is just moot, all depends on the engineers and country of origin. Today, most cars are all built with metric with VERY few exceptions. Regardless of country of origin.

[gone-ot]

...pretty soon, it won't METRIC verus SAE, but rather CHINESE wrenching.

[Piwoslaw]

My Dad-in-law was watching a documentary today and just by listening to the narrator for 30 seconds I could tell that the film was made in (and for) the USA, and not somewhere else, even though the narration was translated. How? By the units. And I don't mean feet, meters, gallons, etc. No, no. The units used in this (and many other American nature vids) are:

• Grand Canyons,
• Statues of Liberty,
• Niagara Falls,
• football fields,
• aircraft carriers,
• Boeing 747's,
• etc.

[bestclimb]

Originally Posted by dcb

Do you mind if I put 1 and 2 in the correct chronological order?

1) they made base-60 "work" for them.

2) they're no longer around, ie: extinct.

Correct chronological order does not imply a causal relationship.

[dcb]

True, though it is easier to follow
i.e. looking at the evolution of Sumerian writing:


Curious how traditional mandarin is still "stuck" in a cuneiform type style, what a pain that must be, how do you even look up a word in the dictionary when all you have is a glyph? Put these 40,000 "characters" in "alphabetical order"?!? That can go, along with SAE.

[greif]

The oil companies are lobbying for the metric system.... that way they can charge $4 for a liter of gas instead of $4 for a gallon

[orange4boy]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

So if a Volvo mechanic over in Sweden needs a 14MM socket, does he place that 14MM socket on a 3/8" ratchet?

That's all I want to know. Are ratchet sizes the same as ours..........
1/4" 3/8" 1/2"

Interestingly most sockets are interchangeable (1/2 = 13mm etc.) and the drives are all still imperial. I have a metric set and I almost never need any imperial sockets or wrenches. Bolt threads are another matter.

[orange4boy]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...INCHES "work" just as well as CENTIMETERS.

...it's ALL about the cumbersome "in-between" conversions, such as 12's for inches vs. 10's metrics.

...what about the old Summarians who used 60 as their units?

...so, I'll just default to my tongue-in-cheek response: METRIC is UN-American!

Ha Ha. It was first adopted by the French no? Oh the horror! It may be Un American and French (shudders), but then so is the Statue of liberty. You yanks and your nationalism. Don't you know Canada is the best?

[gone-ot]

...that's why they call a Crescent™-wrench a Mexican Speed-Socket-wrench: one size fits all (almost).